


over a cup of coffee

by toinkydoink



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-10 04:49:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 6,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6940492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toinkydoink/pseuds/toinkydoink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>He keeps on thinking about her, about poets, about words, about hands and his thoughts and three-worded phrases that hold emotions that weigh as much as the moon--</i> AU. This is <i>not</i> a genderswitch fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. you are cordially invited

**Author's Note:**

> A year ago I said I was moving a handful of my stuff from LJ to here. A year later... here's the second one! This one has a bit of an unconventional format; it definitely made a lot more sense [in LJ](http://toinkydoink.livejournal.com/14061.html). In any case, I originally wrote this with the intention of posting it around Valentine's Day (that's why it's hella fluffy). I hope you enjoy it! ♥

"What? Isn't this a little awkward, though? Maybe we should do this somewhere else since--oh, yes?"

_Good afternoon. Would you like something to drink?_

"Oh! Um. Green tea, please. Thanks."

"...no, seriously. Isn't this place a little...crowded for you? For all this?"

"Well, isn't this exactly why I have a handheld camcorder instead of a twelve-man crew following us? Now, come on, smile for the camera."

"Jun-chan would _kill_ me when she sees this. How are you so sure that Sho-chan would be fine with this?"

"I'm his best man, Maki-chan. He'll love this. If I wasn't that intent on especially making this for a surprise showing in the middle of a wedding reception, this would probably earn ten billion on the silver screen during its first weekend."

"Ever ambitious, as always--oh, great, now I've made him all smug."

"What did I do? I'm just smiling here. And don't you start focusing on the patterns of the wallpaper, I'm still filming."

"Well--"

_Excuse me. Your green tea, ma'am._

"--oh, yes, thank you very much. But, wait. Where was I going with that? Oh, yeah. Well, what do you even want me to say? It's not like I'm this constant presence in their relationship where I have a first-hand account of _everything_. I just happened to be there during a particularly special moment."

"I didn't expect you to be, of course. If you were, that would just be kind of creepy. Besides, you were too busy flirting with someone else to even bother with--ow! What was that for?"

"Acting like you're not a related party when it comes to the flirting that went on back then."

"Back then? Where was the memo on the new rule that disallowed flirting? Because I think I missed it."

"I never said that. You're putting words in my mouth again."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not. Besides, I'd rather you have other things in your mou--hey! Stop it, you."

"And people think I'm the pervert."

"That's because you are. Besides being a tease."

"You know you like it."

"I never said I didn't. But, wait, if we don't start anytime soon, this is never going to get done."

"You started it."

"Did no--you know what. Fine. You win."

"Ha!"

"For now."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Uh-huh, of course. So, Jun-chan and Sho-chan, right? Where did you want me to start?"

"From the very beginning, Maki. And make it as detailed as you can."


	2. black tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> June 12, 2005, 16:30

Rain. A lot of it.

If he didn't have to be in the studio in half an hour, Sho wouldn't mind getting caught up under the sudden torrential downpour in a fancy suit and without an umbrella. In fact, he's always kind of daydreamed about singing and dancing in the rain. With a really pretty girl, of course. They would have their portable umbrellas on hand but they would just be holding them, unopened, as they hold each other's hands and skip and spin and laugh and kiss. She would be wearing rain boots and a matching skirt that would make water fly at super fast speeds as she twirls around. She would look up at the sky with closed eyes, flushed cheeks, and a really, really bright smile and her hair would be gently framing her face, the short bits that won't stay in the loose bun on top of her head wavy from the rivulets of water travelling across her face and neck and down her--

_Pardon me, I'm sorry._

It is out of instinct, more than anything, that Sho takes a small step aside in order to offer the voice some space underneath the small cafe awning. He turns to face the figure-with-the-gentle-voice, mouth open and ready to brush the apology away.

He pauses.

She is completely soaked. From her seemingly puffy when dry cream blouse and knee-length skirt that sways with the weight of the water it holds as she searches for something deep within her large canvas bag all the way to her simple brown rain boots. Her hair is halfway out of the loose bun on top of her head, and long, wavy strands frame flushed cheeks on high cheekbones.

She is facing the cafe's stone wall with a knee against the small windowsill, her leg serving as an improvised surface in order to make the journey to the bottom of her bag easier. She has a slight frown on her face, one cheek puffed out in concentration as she tries to rummage through the contents. Sho blinks and shakes himself from his daze, cheeks lightly coloring as he thinks about how long he had been watching her.

_W-Would you happen to need some help with anything?_

He winces, more at the formality than the stutter. She looks up, trying--and failing--to flick away a strand hovering uncomfortably close over her eye. She scrunches her face underneath it, but when she catches his eye, she relaxes and gives him a wide smile as she finally pulls out the object of her earnest quest from the confines of the bag.

_Oh, no, no--it's okay! I found what I was looking for._

She proudly holds up a portable umbrella as she adjusts the straps of her bag against her shoulder. _Thank you very much for the offer, though._ She smiles that wide smile again, and Sho can't help but think about how his stomach has suddenly become a house for butterflies. With a slightly shaking hand, he digs his hand into his pants pocket and pulls out a checkered handkerchief. After a nanosecond of hesitation, he stretches his arm, the neatly folded cloth resting lightly over nervous fingers.

She takes the handkerchief (but not without first declining with frantic gestures and declaring that she is okay, it's just rain, it's nothing to worry about, really!) with flushed cheeks that seem to redden a little more (to charm him a little more, Sho thinks, fleetingly) when dried, and Sho finds himself unable to look away from the stray raindrop on the edge of a lash over her left eye.

The spell is broken when she looks at her watch and releases an exclamation.

Sho shakes himself, realizing how much time he's losing too. But before he can even begin to think about how he should try to escape this rain (not to mention what he should do to slow down the pitter-pattering in his chest), she looks up and gives him another sheepish grin and in a sudden flurry of movement as quick as the beat of his racing heart, she apologizes and bows her gratitude once more before opening her umbrella and running away.

When her hazy silhouette turns at a street corner, Sho finally allows himself to breathe and think. He thinks about her. Her long skirt and her flushed cheeks, her rain boots, her eyelashes, her silhouette with her clear umbrella, his handkerchief over her still sheepishly smiling lips and peeking between her slender fingers.

Oh, the handkerchief, Sho thinks. Oh.

Because that's all he can think of. Because he can still feel his heart racing. And because maybe, just maybe, _he_ had found what he had been looking for as well. 

Not that he knew he was even looking for anything.


	3. iced caffè americano

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> August 20, 2005, 17:18

During busy school days, Jun and Maki are essentially inseparable. Since the science and history buildings are right next to each other, they usually head to and from campus together. And since they have the same free periods, they also go to the library to study together. But despite living with each other, these are the only times when they get to talk and catch up with each other due to their even busier work schedules. 

After a long study session at the library, they decide to head home for dinner, which consist of camping out in the living room with a simple plate of pasta eaten in front of the television as they look over their notes once more. In the middle of their meal, Maki speaks up: "Oh! So, did you see that news crew in the library this afternoon? They made quite a bit of noise, didn’t they?"

Jun tilts her head, trying to recall, "I had my earphones in the entire time. But a news crew? What did they want?"

"Yeah! They were interviewing our Modern Japanese History professor by the Physics section. That's why I knew; they wouldn't let me through until they finished," Maki says with a slight pout. "Pretty sure they were talking about the economy, which is why I don't understand why they were hanging around the Physics section. But the interviewer was that one really hot guy from News ZERO. What was his name again?"

Before Jun could respond, the light, happy tune of the News ZERO theme comes on their television. A man wearing a suit appears on the screen, introducing their professor sitting across from him before jumping right into a discussion about the nation's economic state.

The next thing Jun knows, she is choking on a piece of shrimp while Maki pats her on the back and shoots her concerned glances as they listen to their professor give his opinion on the matter, with the interviewer (in his pretty hair and fancy suit) tossing the occasional comment or follow-up question.

In her defense, as a history major, Jun has been too caught up learning about events of the past that she has failed to keep up with the present. A very irresponsible thing to do, she realizes, and Maki's occasional scolding about her neglect to keep up with current events is more than enough to remind her of this, but nevertheless.

She promises to start keeping up from now on. Once she finishes the paper she has due next week, that is.

_Sakurai Sho, huh._


	4. café au lait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> October 03, 2005, 14:40

Sho is browsing through the bookstore's magazine section when something catches his eye.

He's seen her before.

It is not until he actually picks up the latest issue of _ViVi_ that it just _clicks_ and he almost drops the magazine right back down.

How in the world did he not recognize her? Especially when she has been the center of attention lately, being part of a modeling duo with Aiba Maki. Their duo quickly gained a lot of attention, as they are known only to agree to model when together, but with fair reason; together, with her sharp features beside Aiba's soft expressions, they stand in a near-perfect balance. Still in disbelief, he places the magazine back on the rack and heads over to the manga section to find the volumes Nino sent him out to purchase. Their director had been whining about not being able to stay updated with his favorite series because of time constraints, heavily hinting that since the _main caster_ has some free time, he should probably do something for the dear director once in a while.

There is a tall girl (with the brim of her hat low over her eyes and the back of her neck peeking through curly hair as she skims through a volume of the same series) blocking the shelf from the volume he needs. He excuses himself.

She jumps and looks up, a small apology escaping her lips as she steps aside. Sho freezes, blinks.

Well, he has definitely seen her before.

 

They laugh at themselves for a while, starting a light-hearted conversation after a slightly self-conscious introduction. But then they start to talk about more things. Other things. They branch off into random tangents and they veer so far from the main topic that they don't know where they even began. But then a slightly annoyed phone call from Nino wanting to know the whereabouts of his manga jolts them from their bubble.

They agree to meet at the bookstore's café around the same time next week.


	5. mint mocha chip frappuccino (with chocolate whipped cream)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> September 08, 2005, 07:30

"So, what's his name again? Ninomiya...?"

"Kazunari. He's a pretty well-known photographer, but he took a break from it to try out directing. I'm pretty sure he still takes the occasional job, though, which is why he's doing the upcoming MGirl."

"Directing, huh? I wonder what kinds of projects he's done so fa--ah!"

As Maki opens the door to the studio, she runs into a man about to walk out. They start their apologies at the same time, only to have them trail into silence halfway through.

"Are you--"

The man snaps his fingers in recognition. "I'd know that voice anywhere. The Physics girl from the Waseda library, right?"

Maki's eyes widen, "It _is_ you! Jun! Jun! This was the annoying guy who wouldn't let me through the Physics section a few weeks ago!" she exclaims as she tugs on Jun's sleeve. 

Before any of them can respond, a stylist walks by the door and says, "Ah! I found them! Aiba-san, Matsumoto-san, if you would please." She steps back, gesturing to the stand-by area. She turns to the man and says, "Ninomiya-san, they are our models for this morning."

Ninomiya smirks. He gives them a small bow as he says, "Ah, the inseparable duo, right? It's nice to finally meet both of you. I've heard a lot of good things, so let's do our best to make this shoot fantastic, alright?" He turns around, quickly walking to his camera as he calls the staff to attention.

An amused Jun pulls Maki along as she mutters things like, "Of all the _people_ ," and, "I'm 'the Physics girl' now? I am a _Math_ major, you know," under her breath.

 

Maki is up first. When they are ready to begin, Ninomiya looks up from his viewfinder and gives them a two-fingered salute. "Feel free to call me Nino, by the way," he says, "Now give me a smile, Physics girl."

Maki starts but quickly gives the camera a smile as the flash bulbs go off. "Ninomiya-san--"

"Didn't I just tell you to call me Nino?"

"-- _Nino_. I would really appreciate it if you stopped calling me that since I'm not even a Physics major in the first place."

"What did you want in the Physics section, then?"

"Just because I'm not a Physics major doesn't mean I don't have to take a Physics _class_."

"Well, not-Physics major, what are you taking, then?"

"Applied Mathematics."

"Ah, a number-cruncher, I see."

Maki narrows her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Nino looks amused. "Nothing, nothing! Ah, that was a great shot. But I just happen to save money for a hobby."

Maki snorts. The flash bulbs go off. "Hm, I can tell. But, wait. Do you seriously want a picture of me snorting?"

"Hey, I'm the photographer here. And what was _that_ supposed to mean?"

 

Jun watches amusedly as they bicker the entire time. 

She giggles when, during the last shots, Nino asks her to go for some coffee sometime.

She laughs loudly when Maki agrees.


	6. strawberries & crème frappuccino

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> March 20, 2006, 21:15

Maki loves Apollo candies.

She especially loves the special kind, the individually wrapped ones with the crunchy sugar bits in the center. She likes unwrapping all of them and lining them up at the edge of a table, creating her own miniature strawberry-topped mountain range, before going down the row, one pink mountain at a time.

 

They are in the middle of their third photoshoot of the month with this particular photographer when he calls for a break. While waiting for her turn, Maki opened the new box of candy she brought with her and is about to eat her third piece when the photographer takes a seat across from her. He watches her closely as Maki gives him a smile before munching on her treat and murmuring a soft, "Mmm, so good!" to herself. She tries very hard not to blush under his gaze.

"I didn't expect to see you two again so soon," he says, breaking the silence, "but I'm not complaining about more work. I have to save up for Final Fantasy XII. It comes out in two weeks."

Maki is interested. She has grown to love video games ever since Jun bought a Play Station 2. "Is it really? Hmm, maybe I should tell Jun to get that one, then. I heard the Final Fantasy games are really good."

He chuckles. "'Really good'? They're _incredible_. Beautiful stuff. If Jun doesn't get it, you should definitely buy it." And he then proceeds to talk about everything he knows about the upcoming game.

As Maki gets more and more engrossed into the conversation, she misses a candy on her little row. He notices, glancing back and forth at her and the candy, silently wondering when she would notice. When the ten-minute break is up, he stands up, plucks the candy out of its spot, and eats it before going, "You forgot one."

Maki's eyes widen as she exclaims, "Wait, what-- _Nino_!" She stands up in a huff and walks over to the set, giving the camera lens a narrow-eyed stare.

Nino gives her a grin and that same old two-fingered salute from behind the camera.

\--

Two weeks later, Maki receives a package from a television station.

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion as she pulls the contents among a sea of styrofoam package fillers. It is a brand new copy of Final Fantasy XII along with a box of Apollo candies (the special kind), sealed with a big red ribbon.

When she opens the candy box, she is disappointed to find all of the candy wrappers empty except for one.

Underneath the lid, however, there is a note with a winking smiley face:

 

_You forgot one._


	7. caramel macchiato

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> October 18, 2005, 16:14

_You are beautiful._

"Aren't poets just so fascinating? I mean, you wouldn't think it'd be possible to tell so much in such a small number of words, but they do it and they _do it_ with such beauty. I'm sure something I'd describe in three paragraphs could be described in three words--just three!--by a poet."

_Incredibly, majestically beautiful._

"But then again, poets wouldn't be able to create such beauty if the words themselves didn't hold an incredible amount of power within, right? It's the most beautiful thing, isn't it, the power words have to create so much with so little."

_You are incredible._

"I mean, look at this." They stop as she gestures. "Look at what's around us right now: the wonderful autumn breeze blowing the fallen leaves away, the soft murmurs of the conversations from the people passing by, the sun casting a warm shade of orange over everything. With the right words, you could describe something like this to someone who wasn't there." She resumes walking, and he can hear her soft chuckles from two steps behind. "But I guess that wasn't my original point, huh."

_Everything just blurs._

He laughs, slightly guilty that he is there--very much there beside her, in fact--and not there at the same time. In his defense, it is a little hard to hear much over the sound of his own heart beating against his ears.

_Hold her hand._

The thought jumps into his head, and just before he can push it away, the idea is so, _so_ sweet and promising that he almost acts on it. _Almost_.

"I wonder what it'd be like to fall in love with a poet," she says, and his heart sinks, all thoughts of hand-holding disappearing in a flash. "I think it would be interesting."

_But I can--_

"I would love to fall in love with a man who knows his words. He can make me see seemingly normal things in ways I have never seen before, open my eyes to all kinds of worlds, learn things that I would probably never learn."

_\--no, I can't._

They reach the train station, and she gives him a small smile as she takes a step closer to the train doors. "Thank you for today, I had fun." When he nods and gives a wave in return, her smile is replaced with a slight frown. "You were really quiet on our way here. Are you alright?"

_More than okay._

"O-oh, no, it's nothing to worry about! I'm totally okay. Completely okay. I just--take care, okay?" He doesn't know why he's having a hard time talking.

_You mean everything._

"I will. I'll even text you when I get home, how's that?" When he finally smiles, she smiles right back and steps into the car just before the doors close. He gives her a small wave as the train leaves, swallowing thickly and resisting the urge to loosen his collar.

 

_You_ are _everything._


	8. pumpkin spice crème

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> October 30, 2005, 17:05

A few weeks later and they are walking to the train station once more. The late afternoon sun is behind them, stretching their shadows, making it seem like they are walking across a path filled with darkness when, in reality, the prospect of what is to come is only beginning to brighten.

Sho can still hear her words from last time: _fall in love with a poet_. He keeps on thinking about her, about poets, about words, about hands and his thoughts and three-worded phrases that hold emotions that weigh as much as the moon and rhyming and how he kind of regrets not pursuing rap when he was in his hip-hop phase (not that he ever got over it, but that's another story) and about how their sleeves are brushing against each other right now and how it would take _that much_ to just reach over and grab her hand because it is so, so close--

But he freezes up when he starts thinking about those darned _poets_ again, and he can't help but think how intimidating it is-- _so very intimidating_ \--to fall in love with a person who adores words to such an extent when you're not all that good with them yourself, and the next thing he realizes, he's back at square one.

 

But when he walks back, alone, it hits him.

_I am falling._

For a person who wants to fall in love with poets.

He stops, closes his eyes, and exhales.

_I've already fallen._

 

Maybe he should try rapping again.

( _Still very intimidating._ )


	9. espresso

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> December 14, 2005, 21:00

I was once a pristine sheet of the finest stationary you could find in Ginza. I have an incredible heritage, you know: I am a product of the most beautiful eucalyptus trees in the majestic Australian plains. That's why when an incredibly good-looking young man in a suit purchased me one day, I was very satisfied. Incredible people only deserve incredible products, after all.

He brought me straight home and onto a long, glossy (but cluttered-- _my_ , was it cluttered!) desk made out of dark wood. He sat down, loosened his tie, managed to produce a pen out of nowhere, and finally took me out of my fancy plastic packaging.

After clicking his pen open, he took a deep breath and wrote down a title:

_Why Matsumoto Jun Should Go Out with Sakurai Sho: An Argumentative Essay_

And then promptly proceeded to elaborate a seemingly endless list of reasons as to why a woman named Matsumoto Jun should be his "walking companion through the course called Life."

...among a plethora of other similar lines, that is.

But despite the numerous corrections and crosses and blotches of ink across my (formerly) ivory-white surface, I was crumpled. Rejected, pushed off to the edge of the desk, and forgotten in favor of my siblings.

The stinging pain of my seemingly depressing fate did not cause much agony, however, as I watched him perfect his statements. He would pore over every phrase, every word, every punctuation, and it was evident that it was done out of the purest of passions. I found myself cheering him on as my crumpled siblings joined me at the edge of his desk; our crinkled presence forming a mountain of emotions that perfectly reflect his internal chaos.

He wrote and wrote until he fell asleep. A limp arm pushed our mountain tumbling across the floor. Some end up underneath his bed, others halt near his doorway, but I end up someplace different.

I fell into the bottom of his open work briefcase, not to be unearthed until the next day, when he pulled out the day's newspapers at an unfamiliar apartment.

Once again, I floated my way down onto the ground. This time, however, I was met by cool, smooth, wooden flooring, to be picked up by soft, feminine hands.

I was reopened, wrinkled contents read over by bright eyes that grew wider as they reached further down the page. Despite my almost pitiful state, I was brimming with pride; I had done my purpose! The recipient had read the emotions from my owner! Things are further understood because of my existence. I was _ecstatic_.

The hand (now shaking and a little clammy) grips me tighter. She uses both hands to turn him around by the shoulders. 

And then, she meets him with a kiss.

I am the fancy crumpled sheet of paper with tiny writings. An essay as to why a woman named Matsumoto Jun should be the beloved of a man named Sakurai Sho.

At the end of my long, messy list of reasons, I (finally, _finally_ ) ask the words, _Would you be mine?_

It seems I have received an answer.

 

Post Script:

A flustered Jun takes a step back from an equally flustered Sho. Before Sho could even _think_ about forming a response, she runs to her bag and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper. She walks back to him and hands it over in its crinkly pristine stationary glory.

When Sho opens it, he is greeted by an underlined title.

_The Reasons I Like Sakurai Sho: An Essay_


	10. green tea latte

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> March 26, 2007, 14:40

jun and maki would make sure that they do a general cleaning spree of the apartment every month. they would take turns, with nino tagging along (read: dragged away from his favorite spot in front of the television and a spray mop forced into his hands) when it's maki's turn, and sho coming along when it's jun's turn.

while jun would generally be a little sloppy when it comes to maintaining apartment orderliness, she is not as bad as sho. aside from a rather impressive cd collection arranged alphabetically along one tall bookcase to another, sho's apartment is essentially a gigantic walk-in closet that he never really managed to organize.

but whatever happens, no matter how vast his mountain range of laundry gets or how cluttered his desk becomes, sho would not miss jun's cleaning day for the world.

\--

jun would tie a purple bandana around her head before handing sho a cleaning cloth and making him wipe surfaces. after making sure that every corner has been wiped, dusted, or sprayed somehow, they would sit on the (freshly vacuumed) area rug with backs against each other, drinking bottled green tea fresh from the fridge.

jun would close her eyes and relish the warm, fresh air of a clean home, and sho would relax against the weight pressing against his back. (sho would take deep breaths and be a little afraid of how much he likes how she smells even though they're dirty and sweaty. _especially_ when they're dirty and sweaty.)

they would be exhausted, but happy.


	11. orange mango banana smoothie (with powdered green tea)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> December 17, 2006, 18:58

when sho catches a cold, jun would come over with asian pears fresh from chiba and a collection of the best chinese herbal teas courtesy of maki's grandmother. she would head straight to the kitchen to take out the pears and prepare the tea. while waiting for the water to boil, she would wash the pears carefully and slice them into eighths. when she finishes, she would set everything down on a tray and walk into his room. wrapped in five blankets and sporting a red nose, he would _still_ be reading a newspaper. when he gives her a sheepish smile, she would smile back and shake her head before sitting on the edge of the bed and feeding him.

that is, until she catches his cold.

\--

when jun catches sho's cold, sho would take a day off work and come over with some miso soup that nino made that morning. he would heat it up in the microwave and pour it onto a bowl while jun curls up on the couch with three pairs of socks and two layers of sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt and the thickest blanket in the apartment. the moment he sits down, she would curl up beside him and lay her head against his shoulder. he would blow on the spoonfuls of soup before offering it to her as they watch daytime dramas on the television.

until sho catches jun's cold, making the cycle start all over again.


	12. hot chocolate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May 27, 2007, 17:25

when it is storming outside, with the rain pouring down and the sky so, so dark, they would spend those sunday afternoons just sitting together on the couch, each in their own world.

 

jun would be reading her third novel for the month, and sho would be going through yet another section of his newspaper.

 

they don't talk.

 

they're just there.

 

warm and content.


	13. cappuccino

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> January 08, 2007, 03:15

Despite her passion for Italian cuisine, she has been studying French since she was in junior high. Sho never fails to tease her about being such a complete and utter fan of anything and everything European, but he semi-secretly admires her for it as well. Semi, because it shows on his face and Jun can read it like an open book. While her eyes are closed.

Jun has a habit of sitting right by the sliding doors to the balcony, watching the peaceful view beyond the metal bars. When the winter chill begins to make everything cold to the touch, Sho would sit right beside her with a thick blanket and a big thermos of hot tea with a mug for each of them. They would have six-hour conversations about _everything_ , with comfortable silences in between while they admire the cityscape, with bright lights glittering like the stars in the sky.

It is three o'clock in the morning and the end of their conversation about cherry blossom viewings had lulled them into silence.

And then she says it. 

_Hey, Sho?_

_Hm?_

Her whisper is as soft as the snow falling before them.

_Je t'aime._

 

The air, suddenly heavy with the hanging confession, is broken when Maki bursts out laughing from the entryway as she slips into her house slippers. "Oh, you _would_ , Jun. You _would_." Her giggles ring gently through the quiet apartment as she closes the bathroom door behind her.

Sho gives Jun a sidelong glance, his heart beating heavily against his chest at the statement. He turns to her fully and watches her fidget under his gaze, her eyes refusing to meet his and her cheeks tinged with a light pink. He swallows. 

 

"Er. So, what does that mean?" In his defense, Sho does not know a lick of French besides _bonjour_ and _merci beaucoup_. Sho _has_ an inkling of what it means, is almost sure that that is what it means, but he doesn't want to assume. This isn't something that one should assume. It just isn't--

Jun smacks him upside the head with a French phrasebook before grabbing her mug and heading to the kitchen.

\--

_It can't be._

Sho sits there, frozen, as he watches the snow build up on the metal railing, a tiny, glittering mountain right before his eyes.

_It might be._

He takes a sip of his tea but it does nothing to help the dry feeling in his throat.

_It could be?_

He tries to take a few deep breaths but they do nothing to calm his racing heart.

_Should it be?_

He shakes himself, trying to focus properly, but his brain is still jumbled with _could it be_ and _would it be_ and _is this real?_

_Am I dreaming?_

He glances at the small book off to his side and he has to exhale loudly in order to calm down. When he picks up the book, the small paperback opens up to a flagged page and _there_.

_I'm not dreaming._

He stands up, folding the blanket and draping it over the couch before walking to the kitchen with the thermos, the mug, her phrasebook, and his heart.

\--

Sho enters the kitchen, putting down on the counter the things he's holding and, completely ignoring Maki's renewed giggles, heads straight to an outwardly calm Jun. Jun has hands wrapped around her mug, and when Sho cups his hands over hers, he feels how stiffly she's gripping it. His hands tighten.

"Hey, Jun?"

It is Jun's turn to swallow. She gives a nod in acknowledgement and he replies, in English.

"I love you, too."

Their hearts sink in an overwhelming stomach drop, make-me-dizzy, roller coaster ride of pure bliss and it is almost too much and just--

When they share a chaste kiss (with hearts still pounding and stomachs still fluttering and heads still trapped in the clouds), Maki whoops in the background.


	14. green tea frappuccino

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> July 14, 2006, 19:45

Maki _adores_ mint mocha chip frappuccinos. Nino thinks they look too sweet and refuses to try them.

 

"I'm closing pretty soon, but take your time," the owner of the café says, giving Nino's shoulder a brief squeeze. Nino gives him a small nod in thanks and replies, "Thanks, Oh-chan." Ohno flashes him a peace sign and gives a smiling Maki a wink before walking back to the counter.

And then they sit in silence.

Nino looks at her. "This time of the afternoon is really nice, isn't it."

Maki ignores him. "You know, you really should try these frappuccinos. Satoshi-kun is amazing at making them."

"I still think they look too sweet."

"You haven't even tried them yet."

"Trust me, I know."

"How do you know when you haven't even tried it?"

"Because I'm just awesome like that."

Maki huffs. "There you go with your ego again."

Nino raises an eyebrow. "My ego? You wouldn't be spending so much time with me if you didn't think I was awesome, you know."

"I wouldn't be spending so much time with you if you stopped inviting me for coffee. You don't even pay for me half the time."

"Which is _precisely_ why there should be more to it than just the coffee."

"It still doesn't change the fact that you keep inviting me. Why do you even keep on inviting me, anyway? All you drink here is tea."

"Do you _not_ want me to invite you anymore? 'Cause I can stop, you know. And their tea is pretty good, but you wouldn't know because you keep on ordering your fancy sweet drinks."

"I did _not_ say that. Stop putting words in my mouth! Besides, the tea's also the cheapest thing on the menu."

"Hey!" Ohno says, and they both look over to see him grinning by the register. "No dissing of the menu, okay? Or I'll kick both of you out before you finish your drinks." They give him sheepish grins.

Nino starts again. "I'm not putting words in your mouth. And _exactly_. Imagine how much you'll save if you started ordering tea instead."

Maki gives Ohno another sheepish grin before answering, "I'm sure Satoshi-kun's tea is amazing, but you haven't even _tried_ his frappuccinos. If you did, I'm sure you'll think they're worth every cent you pay for them."

"Why would I order something that's thrice as much when they both serve the same purpose? To quench your thirst? Besides, if it's something _that_ sweet anyway, I'm probably going to end up having to order water because I'd be thirstier after I drink it than I would be before I did!"

"Well, you know what?"

"What?"

"I think you should try it."

"But I already _told_ you--"

" _Try it_."

"But--"

"Kazu."

"Maki."

"Kiss me."

"I--what?"

But then Maki's lips are pressed against his and--

 

Maybe mint mocha chip frappuccinos aren't so bad after all.


	15. decaf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> November 19, 2007, 19:19

he would always wonder about the amount of _good_ he had done in this world to be given the chance to be with such a wonderful woman. he would often prod her at random times ("hey," he would whisper softly, and she would look at him, eyes focused on him and him alone, and he would feel himself stutter and halt because he _just can't get over it_ ) and ask, "what did i do to deserve you?"

 

she never answers. just smiles. she smiles this embarrassed smile that starts from a worried bottom lip, as if she wouldn't dare show the world just how _happy_ he makes her feel whenever he asks. but her happiness isn't easily contained because eventually her bottom lip escapes the gentle restraints of her teeth and by the time that it does, her cheeks are pink and her eyes are bright and then sho thinks _wow_. 

 

because whatever he did, it must have been pretty fantastic.


End file.
